


Bad Coffee

by gr8escap



Series: Outer Peace [1]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Bucky Barnes & Sam Wilson Friendship, Bucky Barnes Recovering, Gen, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-26
Updated: 2016-05-26
Packaged: 2018-07-10 06:44:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 703
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6970450
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gr8escap/pseuds/gr8escap
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Please take a moment and let me know what you think - comments are inspirational :)</p></blockquote>





	Bad Coffee

“Bottom line, I was doing what was asked of me. I have to live with that and the losses I’ve caused others. It’s really screwed up and it hurts. But if I dwell on the pain I’m going to lose out on the good things. There are a lot of good things that I don’t want to miss.”

Karrie had seen him at the meetings at the VA before. She usually didn’t give any one person too much attention at these things, she was too involved in her own shit to care, but when he stood up to talk for the first time in the 3 months since she’d started coming, she was struck by his humility. That was the day she stepped up to say hello to him after the meeting.

“Hi, James? That was a terrific thing you did back there. I bet it’s hard to make that first move.” She smiled, scratching at her sleeve.

His eyes flicked from her face to her arm noting the prosthetic. He’d seen her before but she’d never shared and she sure as hell had never spoken to him before. “Thanks.” He resisted shrugging; knowing that talking to _someone_ was almost as hard as sharing with _everyone_. He knew he didn’t always put off the most approachable attitude and he honestly didn’t want to dismiss her courage.

“Hey, this shit is the worst,” he indicated the coffee. “I keep telling Sam we need something better, how would you like to join me for some decent coffee around the corner? We can even invite Wilson if it makes you more comfortable.”

She stepped back – physically and emotionally, “I – uh, maybe another time. I just wanted to let you know I appreciated what you had to say.”

“Thank you, another time for sure. If you ever need someone to talk to, you can get my info from Sam if you don’t feel comfortable taking it now.” He offered. He didn’t want to scare her off, he just knew how it was to live chaotically, and have something ripped from you and then have to put the pieces back together. He thought, maybe, he could offer his support. Today was a bunch of firsts for him, sharing, inviting someone into his space, and offering his info – he wondered if that last part could have been done more smoothly.

Thanking him for the offer, Karrie left quickly, brushing absently past Sam as she made her way out the doors.

“How do you do it Sam?” Bucky muttered, not expecting an answer, or that he was even heard.

“Do what? Don’t tell me you’re going to complain about the coffee again.”

“No, I understand, contracts, yada yada. How do you reach out to people? How do you handle the rejection?”

“Well, I know how hard it is to ask for help, how much harder it is to accept it and I don’t take it personally, why? Did you put your neck out?”

“Yeah, she approached me – thought maybe she was reaching out. Read those signals wrong.”

“Maybe not. Maybe she was _trying_ to reach out and had second thoughts. You have to be aware not only of yourself but of them, and everything they might be processing. It’s not like you were an easy conquest.”

“Well, yeah I guess.”

“No “I guess”. You were expecting that since _you,_ a nonagenarian, veteran in the process of recovery could share, that you could solve some young soldier’s problem with a smile.”

“and coffee. Not solve, just help.” Bucky conceded. He might have simplified things a bit but essentially Sam was right. “So, all I did was ask her to coffee – even with you in tow. Too much?”

“Nah, not too much to ask, maybe just too much for _her_ right now.” Sam grimaced over the coffee, “You still offerin’ coffee?”

“Sure, you know I won’t be drinking this sludge.” Bucky replied, following Sam through the door.

“You should take two things away from today, Bucky. First –you shared. That itself is big, for you especially. Second –that’s the first time she’s even lingered after a meeting – ever.”

“You saying there’s still hope for both of us?”

“Yeah, that’s what I’m saying.”

**Author's Note:**

> Please take a moment and let me know what you think - comments are inspirational :)


End file.
